Naturalla Beauty

Sarah from Sugarpuffish tagged me to do the Starting Over Tag, and since I first saw this tag on Youtube, I decided to try something different and film a video, rather than doing an ordinary blog post.  

Actually hitting publish on this post is a lot more nerve wracking than normal, because it's me + the internet in a new way, but what the heck!  Please excuse the choppy editing and general awkwardness.



If you don't want to watch the video, here's a quick rundown of what I chose.  Where applicable, I've included a link to my full review.
Skin
1. Kahina Giving Beauty Facial Cleanser   [Review]
2. Karooch Hazelnut Oil
3. EvanHealy French Rose Clay Mask   [Review]
4. Epic Blend More Moisture Lip Balm (Unflavored)

Hair
5. Acure Organics Moroccan Argan + Argan Stem Cell Shampoo & Conditioner   [Review]
6. Kinky Curly Spiral Spritz   [Review]
7. Beautiful Curls Shea Butter Curl Reviving Tonic   [Review]

Body
8. Nourish Organics Body Wash   [Review]
9. Acure Organics Unscented Cocoa Butter + CoQ10 Body Lotion   [Review]

Makeup
10. Honeybee Gardens Pressed Powder Foundation (Geisha)   [Review]
11. Silk Naturals Sleep in a Jar (Light Peach)   [Review]
12. Faerie Organic Forty Winks Eye Shadow Primer   [Review]
13. Darling Girl Cosmetics Eye Shadow (Blitzen + Harvest Moon)   [Review]
14. Honeybee Gardens Eyeliner (Smoking Gun)
15. Zuzu Luxe The Mascara (Onyx)   [Review]
16. Mineral Fusion Nail Polish (Amethyst)

For as long as I've been blogging, I've gotten questions about natural eye shadow primers.  Nobody wants to be walking around with creased eye shadow, so it's completely understandable why this comes up so often!  I've heard a lot of quick fix suggestions - using everything from lip balms to oil control powders and concealers as primers - but none of those have worked quite right for me.  It's been a bit of an epic search, with many primers and varied results, and while I don't still have all the ones I've tried on hand, I promised a comparison post of the ones I do, and today I'm finally going to deliver on that!  I wanted to see how these held up in the hotter, summer months, so now that it's officially fall, let's talk about the three primers I've currently got in rotation: Detrivore Cosmetics Original Eye Shadow Primer, Faerie Organic Forty Winks Eye Primer, and The All Natural Face "Magic" Vegan Eye Shadow Primer.



INGREDIENTS
In terms of ingredients, the Detrivore and Faerie Organic primers are fairly similar formulas, comprised mainly of oils and waxes.  Because they're oil-based and contain no water, no preservative is needed, although the Faerie Organic does contain vitamin E and rosemary, which will help extend the shelf-life.

The All Natural Face, on the other hand, is a water-based product, and as such, contains polyaminopropyl biguanide and potassium sorbate.  Potassium sorbate doesn't worry me, but I've had a difficult time finding clear information on polyaminopropyl biguanide, so I'm not sure how I feel about it as an ingredient.

Winner(s): Detrivore and Faerie Organic


APPLICATION
In terms of application, the Detrivore and Faerie Organic primers are, again, very similar.  Both are semi-solid creams that come in small pots and I like to apply them with my fingers.  The All Natural Face primer comes in a tube with a doe-foot applicator and, in that way at least, is more comparable to traditional primers like Urban Decay Primer Potion.  I use the wand to swipe it on, but again, I prefer to blend it out with a finger.  The Detrivore and All Natural Face primers have a slight tint initially, but once you blend them in, both become invisible.  The Faerie Organic leaves a sheer wash of white for you to apply your shadows on top of.

(L to R) Faerie Organic, Detrivore, The All Natural Face

The key for all three is not to use too much product.  What you're going for here is a thin, even layer that's just enough to give your eye shadow something to grip on to.  If you apply too much, everything gets goopy and you're back in hot mess territory.  Also keep in mind that the consistency of all three primers does change slightly depending on temperature - they are softer in warmer temperatures and more solid when it's cooler - so you'll need to tailor your application accordingly.

Winner(s): Comes down to personal preference.  No clear winner.


PERFORMANCE
Detrivore's primer is the tackiest of the three and it definitely makes shadows pop the most.  Most colors end up slightly darker and any shimmery shadows end up looking almost foiled.  It's the best at holding on to anything glittery and does an excellent job showcasing more complex and duochrome colors.  It doesn't fare as well with matte colors, which can end up looking a little patchy.

The All Natural Face's primer does very little.  Once it's blended out, it basically feels like you haven't applied anything.  Colors are unaltered and look basically the same as they would on bare skin.  Fallout can also be a problem with certain shadows, since there's not a lot going on to improve adhesion.

The Faerie Organic falls somewhere in the middle.  It dries to a powdery finish, so it doesn't serve as a tacky base like the Detrivore, but the white color does make your colors appear more vibrant.  I haven't had any problems with fallout.

Winner(s): Detrivore and Faerie Organic, depending on eye shadow color/finish.


WEAR
Faerie Organic blows everyone else out of the water in this area.  Wear time is a bit less in the summer, but in the colder months, I can easily make it through a 14-hour day with perfect eye makeup.  Ah-mazing.  Detrivore lasts about 8 hours in the winter before I start to see creasing, but it only makes it 4-5 in the summer.  The All Natural Face only gives me a wear time of around 4 hours, regardless of the time of year.

Winner(s): Faerie Organic


MOMENT OF TRUTH
Faerie Organic is definitely the primer I reach for the most, and on an everyday basis, that's what's on my eyes.  For more complex, duochrome shadows or anything with lots of glitter, I opt for the Detrivore.  I'd happily repurchase both of these.  While I love other products from The All Natural Face and the primer is a hit for lots of people, it just didn't live up to my expectations.  It's something I rarely use and I won't be buying it again.


Have you tried any of these?  What's your favorite eye shadow primer?